Photo By Sgt. Philip Klein | A Marine medic provides medical attention to an Iraqi army soldier of the 2nd...... read more read more
Subscribe
By Sgt. Philip Klein
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
BAGHDAD – Iraqi soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi army division Quick Reaction Force have developed a unique relationship with their Marine Military Transition Team advisors.
They live with their advisors, eat with their advisors, fight with their advisors. They share in the victories and in the setbacks; the hardships and good times; and above all they have created a bond of mutual respect and professionalism, as well as friendships.
For Marine Corps Maj. Jason Drake, the Marine MiTT team leader for QRF 3, which is attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division Baghdad for security operations in the Sadr City District of Baghdad, this relationship between his Marines and their Iraqi counterparts is the lynch pin to the success.
"We sleep, work and live with these guys everyday – that is the difference," said Drake.
Drake, a native Suffolk, Va., said that the first step is to treat his Iraqi counterparts with respect.
"We demonstrated through our actions that we are with them all the way, their hardships are our hardships, their victories are our victories, and they trust us and know we are with them regardless of the situation," said Drake.
Drake explained that initial work with the 1st IA Div. began with squad and company level training back in 2004. The Marine MiTT team is now focused on battalion and brigade level staff training.
"This IA battalion is self-sufficient, it plans and executes its mission with minimal support from the MiTT team," said Drake. "If we do anything, it is minor adjustments, and other support roles that Iraq is not fully capable of right now."
Iraqi Lt. Col. Samir Hashem Hareb al-Maliki, the Iraqi 2nd Battalion executive officer, also credits the success of his unit to the close relationship his soldiers have formed with the Marine MiTT team.
"We fight in the same line, and we consider the Marines as Iraqis, and as Iraqis we are working to make our country strong, safe and successful," said Samir.
Samir believes that the close bond is a result of the close personal ties the two units have created.
"They have come to understand what we need and we understand what the Marines need," said Samir. "We are brothers and we will remain brothers."
Samir, the Iraqi equivalent of the "military brat," is from a family with a strong tradition of military service in the Iraqi army. His father was a military officer before the Saddam regime, and he would move the family from base to base across Iraq during his career. Samir fought in the Iran-Iraq War where he lost his oldest brother.
"Under Saddam, the Iraqi military was different, now we have learned professionalism in our missions, and the Marines critique us after every mission. We study what we could have done better and what we did right to reinforce our skills," said Samir.
As a result of this training the people of Iraq have come to trust QRF 3.
"When we come to an area we establish security, and enforce the laws of our land," said Samir. "Iraqis are tired of the violence and criminal gangs; they want security, jobs and peace."
The blue prints for success followed by the QRF 3 is eliminate criminal elements from the area, engage the local leaders, provide humanitarian assistance and engage locals to create security.
"This has been successful wherever we go, and that is why the Government of Iraq relies on this brigade," said Samir.
But the key to the relationship is the personal ties between the soldiers and Marines.
"My mother became terminally ill soon after we deployed and passed away in February. So I scheduled emergency leave to be at home with my family," said Drake. "Our Iraqi brothers learned of this and as I was getting ready to leave every Iraqi officer came out to personally tell me how sorry they were for me and my family, and that I was in their prayers. If there is one thing all Iraqis know too well it is death and suffering. This gesture of compassion meant a great deal to me."
Both Drake and Samir are avid hunters and they both hope that one day they can visit each other's homes as former colleagues and share a leisure activity together that they both love.
"I really hope that Samir can come to America and visit me, I would love to show him my home and introduce him to my family, and get a little hunting in with my friend too," said Drake.
"We are winning the fight and one day I believe we will be able to go to Sadr City together, without our uniforms, and I can show my brother what we created together for the people of Iraq," said Samir.
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2008 10:11 |
| Story ID: | 21644 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 278 |
| Downloads: | 226 |
This work, Marine MiTT team forms bond with IA/Marine blueprint for success: live, work, fight with brother-in-arms, by SGT Philip Klein, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
